Stanley Cup finals Game 5: Boston 0, Vancouver 0 after one period

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The first period of Game 5 was scoreless but lively because of the furious pace and consistent physicality. The Vancouver Canucks got the game’s first three penalties but escaped unscathed, to the delight of a pumped-up crowd at Rogers Arena.

Each team had a player sent to the box with 33 seconds remaining in the period, after Boston’s Milan Lucic tripped Vancouver’s Alex Burrows and both were penalized. The call on Lucic was tripping and the call on Burrows was unsportsmanlike conduct for embellishing the trip, and both were correctly made by officials who wisely exerted their authority before anything stupid could happen.

A few moments earlier Vancouver’s Maxim Lapierre had taken a mild jab in the ribs from Boston’s Zdeno Chara and tried to sell it as an offense worthy of life imprisonment, and the officials clearly didn’t want to see any more antics.

The Bruins outshot the Canucks, 12-6, with Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo regaining fans’ affection by making several excellent stops. He had a point-blank stop on a shot by Patrice Bergeron during Boston’s third power play and drew roars from the crowd. The Canucks were credited with 23 hits, including five by defenseman Alexander Edler. Boston was credited with 13 hits.

More coverage later at www.latimes.com/sports.

--Helene Elliott in Vancouver, Canada